Peristyle Jazz Café (Le), Lyon

During the summer, the mezzanine of the Lyon Opéra is transformed into an outdoor jazz café, making for a shady respite during the day and a comfortable watering hole at night. Free concerts enhance the cosmopolitan ambiance of the outdoor bar and café, which serves a full range of cocktails, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as summery bistro standards like cold salads and pasta dishes. The red-lighted tinge of the dark mezzanine, sheltered by the wings of award-winning architect Jean Nouvel's renovated Opéra, contrasts with the business district crowds, skaters, and the Starbucks down the street. Day or night, it's a cool oasis in the heart of the city.